


Baby Brother

by Housemartellofwesteros



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-18
Updated: 2017-01-18
Packaged: 2018-09-18 06:51:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9373013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Housemartellofwesteros/pseuds/Housemartellofwesteros
Summary: Arianne Martell loves her youngest brother, Trystane, and nothing can change that.





	

Trystane: Newborn  
Arianne: 11  
Quentyn: 6 

 

It was an unusually cool night in Dorne when Trystane came into the world. The wind blew gently through the windows of Sunspear's palace, and Arianne sat for hours near her window just to let the cool breeze move through her jet black curls. At age 11, she was already being groomed to be the next ruler of Dorne, and she was slowly losing the carefree childhood she cherished so much. She wished she could go back to the time where she splashed in the Water Gardens with Tyene, her favorite cousin who was only a few months younger then her. She wished Quentyn was a baby again so she could tell him stories about knights falling in love with ladies. She wished that she was small enough so that her father could throw her in the air like he used to.  
She went to her bed and lay down with a dramatic sigh. Her lessons ended earlier than usual, and she had nothing better to do than sit in her room daydreaming. But today was different. Usually she would speak with her mother, read with her father, or even speak to the ladies of the court, but today, nobody was available to entertain her. Her mother was giving birth to another baby, and that has been on Arianne's mind since her waking hours. She rolled over onto her stomach and buried her face in her pillows. She considered going to sleep a little early, but her thought was interrupted by the sound of small footsteps approaching her chamber.  
"Ari!" A small voice called from outside her door. "Let me in!"  
Arianne sighed as she rolled off her bed. She opened the door and her brother Quentyn sprinted to her bed. Arianne smiled and followed him  
"Ari, when is the baby going to be here?" Asked Quentyn. "I hope soon. Mommy was screaming. Why is she screaming? She never screams."  
Arianne could tell her little brother was anxious. He loved his mother dearly, so did she. She remembered how nervous she was when Quentyn was born. She thought it would be best to tell him about her experiences to calm him own.  
"Mother is screaming because it hurts," Arianne explained. "When a baby leaves its mother's belly, it hurts.  
"So the baby is hurting Mommy?" Asked Quentyn with large eyes. "Why does it hate her?"  
Arianne laughed out loud.  
"No,no," she said. "The baby is not trying to hurt her. It's just very painful. Mother screamed when you were born too. And I thought you were hurting her until father told me what I'm telling you now."  
"You remember?" Asked Quentyn. "You remember when I came out of Mommy's stomach?"  
"Yes," said Arianne. "I do."  
Quentyn was about to say somethings else when Maester Caleotte came into the room. He bowed his head to Arianne before speaking.  
"Your mother has given birth to a strong and healthy boy, Trystane Nymeros Martell. She is resting and midwife says that you can meet him tomorrow."  
"Why can't we see the baby now?" Asked Quentyn. "I want to see him!"  
The Maester shook his head.  
"I'm sorry, my Prince. Your mother needs some rest. You'll be able to meet him tomorrow."  
"Thank you, Maester," said Arianne. She looked at her brother. "Quentyn and I will visit the baby tomorrow morning first thing."  
The Maester nodded as he walked out of the room, leaving two anxious children behind. Arianne went back to her bed and lay down. It was already getting late, and she planned on tucking Quentyn into bed. The small little boy approached her bed and looked up at his older sister with big eyes.  
"Ari, can I spend the night with you? And then tomorrow we meet the baby?" Quentyn asked. "Please?"  
Arianne looked at her brother before patting the empty side of her bed. Her brother jumped up and immediately snuggled beside her. Arianne pulled the covers over both of them and placed a gentle kiss on Quentyn's head.  
"I'm a big brother," said Quentyn sleepily.  
"Yes, you are. And you'll meet your baby brother tomorrow," said Arianne. "Sweet dreams, Quentyn."

 

Arianne was pleasantly surprised when she first laid eyes on Trystane the next morning. The baby was very small, with bright pink skin and his head was covered in thin and dark hair.  
"Isn't he precious?" Said Mellario, looking at the small baby in her arms fondly. "He's sweet just like you, Arianne."  
Quentyn reached to touch his brother's head, but quickly brought it back when the baby moved. He looked at Mellario like a guilty puppy. She smiled at him.  
"It's alright, Quentyn. You did nothing wrong."  
As Quentyn reached his hand out again, Arianne looked at her new brother in awe. She had seen many babies in her eleven years of life, but this baby was special. He was her brother, just like Quentyn. She swore by all the gods that she would treat him equally, play with him when he wanted, teach him valuable life lessons, and of course give him all the love an older sister could give. Trystane. What a cute name, Arianne thought. Probably Norvoshi since she never met someone named Trystane in Westeros. She looked at her brother's face. He was only a day old, but was already starting to look like Mellario.  
She reached forward and put her hand gently on Trystane's head and ran her thumb though the silky whisps of hair that covered his head.  
"He's a beauty. Just like you were, Arianne," said Mellario, noticing Arianne's kind gesture.  
"I looked like him?" Asked Arianne in awe. She could not picture herself as a small, helpless baby. She was already eleven, and would be a woman in a few years.  
"Yes, you did, my princess," said Mellario, taking her free hand and caressing Arianne's cheek.  
"Can I teach him to fight?" Asked Quentyn. "I can teach him to ride, and I can borrow those wooden swords and teach him!"  
Arianne laughed. She was amused by her brother's enthusiasm with fighting. She just hoped that he wouldn't grow up to be merciless like many men she learned about in her lessons with Maester Caleotte.  
"Perhaps you will," said Mellario, smiling at her eldest son. "But I'm afraid that you will have to wait for a long time." She turned to Arianne. "Arianne, darling. Would you like to hold Trystane?"  
Arianne's mouth dropped. She couldn't believe that her mother trusted her to hold her brother. She didn't expect her mother to allow her after only one day. She remembered she couldn't hold Quentyn until he was a few weeks old. She couldn't conceal her excitement as she opened her arms so that her mother could place the baby in them.  
"He's so little," she whispered as Trystane was placed in her arms. She placed her left hand under his head like she was taught when she first held Quentyn. "I dont want him to grow up!"  
Mellario smiled at her daughter as Quentyn rested his head on her chest.  
"Yes, I frown at the thought that he will one day be a man. But we have to enjoy him now. Cherish every moment with him, and when he's a man, tell him stories of how you cared for him when he was a babe."  
"Yes, Mother," said Arianne as she stroked Trystane's hair with her fingers. She was already thinking about the future games she would play, the bedtime stories she would tell, and lessons she would teach. She promised that she would always make time for him, no matter how busy she would be. She promised that she would always be by his side, no matter how far apart they would be. She leaned forward, gently held one of Trystane's little hands, and whispered in his ear:

I love you, sweet brother. Always remember that.


End file.
